Dear Colleen,

Hi, I just wanted to add my support for you. I too, have had this urge or need to want relieve the pressure. For me, I struggle with the causes of this. I think that it sometimes is an urge to feel or not to feel something, the bad memories, struggles of what each day brings, guilt, mental exhaustion, or just tired of being here. It has gone on for such a long time and one day an important question hit me. I ask this question each and every time I feel this urge... Why do I find it necessary to punish myself when I have done nothing to deserve this? It is this question that re-directed my thinking from one that wanted to relieve pressure and the shear habit of hurting myself to one that caused me to realize that it is not my fault and that no matter how many times that I hurt myself, it will not make anything better. For me, abusing myself is like treating the symptom, rather than the cause. I still have the urges, but I ask that question and then find any way to keep my mind busy. This has helped me for many years now, and I hope that this will help you too. Please take care of yourself,

Sincerely,

David (NewDawnFades)